Come see us at NCSM & NCTM in DC!

We’ll be away next week, at the NCSM and NCTM conferences in Washington DC. We’d love to see you at one of our Sessions, or at the TERC booth!

Monday, April 23, 2018

Session 1317: But Why Does It Work?: Using Examples to Investigate Structure

Many students appear to know how to compute, but what do they understand about the underlying structure of the operations? This talk will use evidence from our classroom-based research, including video clips, to show how, through reasoning about what appear to be simple examples, students dig more deeply into mathematical structure. Participants will also examine how teachers develop a collaborative and invitational context that encourages the range of students to work together on significant mathematics about the behavior and properties of the operations.

Presenter: Susan Jo Russell

Time: 11:15-12:15

Location: 147B

Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Session 2302: Looking for Structure: Early Algebra with a Focus on the Operations

Although K-6 mathematics focuses on calculation, the meaning of the operations may fall into the background. Indeed, many common errors stem from confusion about which structures apply to which operation. This session will present classroom examples to illustrate how early algebra can provide a context for highlighting the operations as distinct objects. The examples emphasize the role of representations in the study of structure and teachers’ actions that draw students’ attention to those structures.

Presenter: Deborah Schifter

Time: 11:15-12:15

Location: Salon I

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Session 3131: Doing the Math with Paraeducators

This session will share components and initial findings from our project, Doing the Math with Paraeducators. We will focus on the roles paraeducators play in classrooms and on our practice-based professional development designed to address the current inequities by developing paraeducator confidence, pedagogy and mathematics content knowledge.

Presenters: Judy Storeygard and Denise Treacy

Time: 8:45-9:45

Location: Room 143A

Session 3325: Math Practices in the Classroom: What Students Do and What Teachers Do to Make It Happen

Using video footage, we will examine how the Standards for Mathematical Practice (SMP) are enacted. We will look closely at the students’ reasoning and how they engage with the mathematics. Then we will analyze teacher moves that support student SMP enactment. Participants will come away with a deeper understanding of what the Practices look like, and how to support their students in making sense, persevering, and constructing arguments.

The Investigations Center for Curriculum and Professional Development is dedicated to advancing the teaching and learning of mathematics for all students and teachers. Our team has decades of experience developing elementary math curriculum and providing professional development for teachers, coaches, and administrators.